


Too Short

by Pembrooke330



Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Dating, F/M, First Kiss, Jeronica, Jughead x Veronica, Riverdale, Veronica Lodge - Freeform, Vughead, frenemies to lovers, jughead - Freeform, jughead jones - Freeform, veronica - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 13:21:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14833061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pembrooke330/pseuds/Pembrooke330
Summary: “Look, just humor us and go out on a date. If you hate it, then Betty and I will owe you Pop’s on us for a whole month. If you two actuall end up having a good time, well, then all you have to do is tell us we were right.”Jughead and Veronica looked at each other, scowls on both of their faces.“Fine.” They had replied in unison.And now here they were, sitting in a movie theater, watching a re-release of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and sharing a bucket of buttery popcorn. And neither one of them seemed to be hating it.





	Too Short

“Do you want to share a popcorn or do you want your own?”

Veronica looked up at Jughead as he smiled at her nervously.

“I don’t mind sharing.” She replied matter-of-factly.

Jughead chuckled.

“Wow, I wouldn’t have expected _that_ from an only child.”

Veronica shook her head.

“Hey, I know that’s what _most_ people typically believe about only children. That we don’t know how to share. But, to be honest, sometimes it would get so lonely that you wanted nothing more than to have someone else around to share with.”

Jughead nodded thoughtfully.

“That makes sense. So…you were lonely a lot as a kid?” He asked, actually seemingly interested in knowing the answer to his question.

Veronica sighed, thinking back to what life had been like being the only child of Hiram and Hermione Lodge.

“Yes, actually. I was. But, fortunately, all the girls at school wanted to be my friend. Not so much because they liked me, but because they liked playing dress-up with all my fancy things in my fancy mansion. But…it beat being alone all the time.”

Jughead looked at her with sadness in his eyes.

“Damn, Veronica. I never would have guessed that you had a tough time growing up. I guess I assumed you had it made 24/7.”

Veronica chuckled.

“Ah, yes, a common misconception about spoiled rich girls.”

The two entered the theater and quickly found seats in the back, so they could watch the movie but still be able to talk without disturbing anyone else. That’s what they were supposed to be doing on this date, after all, talking and getting to know each other on a deeper level.

Veronica still found it surreal that she had agreed to go out with Jughead Jones of all people.

How they had ended up here had at first begun as a joke, but the joke quickly became a reality.

It had all started when they’d been sitting in Pop’s with Archie and Betty.

“Me? Date Veronica? Um… _no_. I can barely tolerate her with the amount of time I’m _already_ forced to be around her, much less have to spend a whole evening hanging out with the Pembrooke Princess.” Jughead had said when Betty had jokingly suggested that Jughead and Veronica should bury the hatchet and go out with each other.

Veronica scoffed.

“And what makes you think I would want to date your beanie wearing, broody, moody, anti-social ass? I’d rather get my bikini line waxed than spend an evening watching some boring documentary on deadly diseases of 18th century Europe or something equally as depressing and weird.”

Jughead had rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest defiantly.

“See? You already know a _lot_ more about each other than you think. And you’re a lot more alike than you care to admit.” Betty had chimed in.

Finally, Archie got in on the whole thing as well.

“Look, just humor us and go out on a date. If you hate it, then Betty and I will owe you Pop’s on us for a whole month. If you two actually end up having a good time, well, then all you have to do is tell us we were right.”

Jughead and Veronica looked at each other, scowls on both of their faces.

“Fine.” They had replied in unison.

And now here they were, sitting in a movie theater, watching a re-release of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and sharing a bucket of buttery popcorn. And neither one of them seemed to be completely hating it.

“I don’t think I know any other girls that would be willing to watch a horror flick. I’m impressed, Princess.” Jughead whispered as he leaned over.

His hot breath on her ear made Veronica’s heart pound, and she was surprised with how much she liked having Jughead so close. It was surreal. She was definitely attracted to him, and she’d never allowed herself to feel it until now. But something about being alone with him in the dark had unlocked something inside of her.

“I’m not like other girls, Jones.” She replied with a sly grin.

Jughead smiled back.

“You certainly aren’t.”

\---

“I know that if Jellybean likes what I write, then it must be pretty good.” Jughead was saying as he and Veronica strolled slowly down the quiet streets of downtown Riverdale.

It had been a couple of hours since the movie ended, but neither one of them seemed in a hurry to get home. They’d walk a few feet, stop and talk, the streetlamps shining a romantic glow over the two of them, before they’d walk a little more. Their bodies getting closer to each other each time. Their hearts pounding a little harder with every step.

“Jellybean sounds like a pretty smart kid. I always wished for a little sister. I used to ask for one all the time.” She said with a laugh.

Jughead nodded.

“They can be great, at times. But she can also be a giant pain in my ass too.” He said, smiling at Veronica as he spoke.

“She’d like you. She’s fascinated by big cities and fashion.”

Veronica felt her cheeks getting warm at Jughead’s words.

“I’d love to meet her sometime…you know… _if_ we hang out again.”

Jughead chuckled.

“So you’d actually _want_ to hang out again? Even though we’ve both been convinced we could never date each other?”

Veronica smiled.

“Well, I mean, _obviously_ we’re completely different. I mean, how could we ever actually make it work? You’re a total introvert, while I’m an extrovert. You hate football games but I’m a cheerleader at them.” She replied as she leaned against one of the lampposts.

Jughead nodded.

“Yeah, and you come from the Northside and I’m from the Southside. You’re popular, and I’m not. I like to read, and you don’t--”

But Veronica stopped him.

“Actually, I _love_ to read. I just finished this amazing book about Queen Elizabeth. It was a _riveting_ biography.”

Jughead laughed.

“We’re supposed to be finding things that are _opposite_ about the two of us. How come it’s getting harder to come up with more?” He asked as he stepped closer to her.

Veronica chuckled nervously. The way Jughead was looking at her was like no other look he’d ever given her before. And she realized how much she wanted him to keep looking at her like that, while kissing her in the process.

“Because maybe Archie and Betty were right after all.” She replied as she reached out and grabbed the open front of Jughead’s Sherpa jacket, pulling him closer to her.

She knew it was forward of her, but she couldn’t stop herself. The way she was feeling about him had taken over.

“And even if they _are_ wrong, opposites can attract too.” He said as he took a strand of her hair in his hand while he gazed at her.

Veronica’s heart was pounding so hard, she prayed Jughead couldn’t hear it.

“But regardless of how good we might be for each other on paper, there’s another problem.” He said as he stepped back.

Veronica smirked.

“I’m too short, right?” She asked with a laugh.

Jughead sighed sarcastically.

“I mean, I’d probably break my back trying to kiss you.” He replied, grinning at her deviously.

Veronica nodded.

“Yeah, that’s true, and _really_ too bad. But even my highest of heels wouldn’t help much.” She said as she flipped her hair and began to walk away slowly.

She turned back to see Jughead watching her, still grinning.

“But you know…” He said as he caught up to her.

“We won’t know for sure until we give it a try.”

Veronica stopped and turned to him.

“You’re right. We should at least _try_ and see how impossible it would be. Just so we can give Betty and Archie full details on why you and I will never work out.” She said with a faux serious look on her face.

She could tell Jughead was holding his breath as Veronica reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. Her body against his. He was a lot taller than she was, but it wasn’t a problem. Not even close. Veronica and Jughead were enjoying their game, but they both knew where it would lead.

“Even on my tiptoes, this is awfully difficult, Jug. I’m just too small for you.”

Jughead nodded.

“Yes, you are. But maybe you should stand on the stoop of that building. I mean, we have to make sure we don’t enjoy kissing each other before we call this whole thing off.” He said as he took her hand in his and led her over to the small set of stairs in front of an apartment building.

Holding his hand sent a thrill throughout her whole body. She liked it, it felt right. And when she stepped up onto the stoop, she looked into his blue eyes, and she knew. No matter how much they wanted to tell Betty and Archie they were wrong, there was no way they could.

Neither one of them said anything as Jughead leaned down just enough so that she could meet him halfway. And when their lips touched, it was like a surge of electricity that ran all the way down to their toes.

They both lost track of time as they stood there in a long, soft liplock that neither of them wanted to end. But once they pulled away, they gazed at each other sweetly.

“Did you hate that as much as I did?” Veronica asked Jughead quietly.

She knew her cheeks were flushed, which was a total giveaway. But she didn't care.

“More so.” Jughead replied as he kept his arms wrapped around her snugly.

“But I think we should try again, just to make sure that we’re _sure_ that we both really hate kissing each other.”

Veronica chuckled.

“Sounds awful. But you’re right. We need to keep trying until we’re sure. No matter how long it takes.”

 

The End.

 

 


End file.
